It was widely believed around the league that the Houston Rockets would part ways with head coach Kevin McHale after being ousted from the playoffs in the first round yet again. Well it turns out McHale’s clock hasn’t run out just yet.

McHale just completed the final guaranteed season of his contract, but multiple individuals with knowledge of the Rockets thinking have said management believes in him and wants him to have more time with a relatively new team that spent the season battling injuries.

The fourth year of McHale’s contract was subject to a team option. The Rockets were 54-28 this season, and were eliminated from the playoffs by Portland in six games on Friday.